A first-timer's take on the Melbourne Cup

By Gabrielle Boyle| 3 years ago

Nine News reporter Gabrielle Boyle. Image: Supplied.

Nine news reporter Gabrielle Boyle on ticking off her 'bucket list'.

Attending the Melbourne Cup has always been on my bucket-list. It may be 'the race that stops a nation', but if you work in TV, that doesn't apply. I usually catch a glimpse of the great race from inside a satellite truck parked at a crime-scene, or in an edit suite between cuts.

I was determined 2017 would be different. And so, late one Friday night after a few too many champagnes, my buddy Liz and I booked flights and accommodation to Melbourne. Giddy-up!

Image: Supplied.

For the horses, the Melbourne Cup is a sprint. It’s done and dusted in about three minutes. But I soon discovered that for us girls, Melbourne Cup is a marathon.

Let me explain.

Preparation starts weeks in advance. Hours are devoted to deliberating over the perfect outfit. The dress, headpiece, bag, bling and shoes. Instagram becomes an encyclopedia of inspiration.

Image: Supplied.

In the days before, ladies trot between appointments for nails, spray-tans, hair colour and other beauty-related bookings. Looking the part takes commitment!

I flew into Melbourne on Friday, and even before we touched down, I could sense the excitement. The plane was buzzing with banter, passengers comparing plans for the week ahead. It seemed everyone had somewhere special to go.

Image: Supplied.

First up was Derby Day. I had been informed (*warned) that Derby is THE party day. I was not mislead. We were guests of G.H Mumm in their purpose-built, no expense spared two-storey Birdcage block-buster. To describe this event as extravagant would be an understatement. Fancy cocktails, flashy-finger food, trendy tunes, oh and Usain Bolt. Yes, you read correctly. The world's fastest man came to cup week.

Image: Supplied.

Derby done, and it was time for the main event. Having expended so much energy selecting the perfect dress for Melbourne Cup, I had given absolutely no thought whatsoever to a jacket! And so this silly Sydney-sider turned up to Flemington wearing a sleeveless dress, strappy sandals and head-to-toe goosebumps. It was so cold that by midday I had no feeling below the knees.

To avoid being hospitalised with frostbite, we remained mostly indoors, once again in the G.H Mumm space. Beautiful people mingled, sipping, nibbling and chatting enthusiastically. The Birdcage experience was everything I had imagined. Indulgent, glamorous and completely over-the-top. It's certainly the only party I've attended where a luxury yacht is mounted on dry land for dramatic effect.

Image: Instagram/@ghmummau.

So, the question is, would I do it all again? Would I return to do Melbourne Cup 2018? The answer is absolutely! But next year I will be packing a jacket, and maybe some thermals as well...